This application claims priority of Taiwan Application No. 091207285, filed on May 21, 2002.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a work table, more particularly to a work table with a sawdust collecting mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional work table is shown to include a stand 1, a workpiece-supporting box 2, a working panel 3, and a suctioning device 4.
As illustrated, the box 2 includes a bottom plate 201 that is disposed on the stand 1 and that has a peripheral edge, and a peripheral wall 202 that extends uprightly from the peripheral edge of the bottom plate 201 to define a receiving chamber 203. The bottom plate 201 is formed with an outlet port 204.
The working panel 3 is disposed on the peripheral wall 202 to cover the receiving chamber 203, and is formed with a plurality of equidistantly spaced apart apertures 303 that are in fluid communication with the receiving chamber 203.
The suctioning device 4 includes an air conduit 403, a blower unit 401, and a sawdust container 407. The air conduit 403 has a first end connected to the outlet port 204 of the box 2, and a second end connected to an inlet of the blower 401. The sawdust container 407 is connected to an outlet of the blower 401 via a piping in such a manner that when the blower 401 is actuated, the sawdust, resulting from an abrasive operation performed on the working panel 3 is collected in the sawdust container 407 via the apertures 303 in the working panel 3, and the outlet port 204 in the bottom plate 201. Preferably, an air-filtering bag 406 is mounted on a top end of the sawdust container 407 via a fastener belt 405 to enhance collection of the sawdust in the sawdust container 407.
One disadvantage of the aforementioned conventional work table resides in that since there is no sawdust guiding means provided in the receiving chamber 203 for guiding the sawdust toward the outlet port 204, the sawdust tends to accumulate at corners of the box 2.
Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a work table provided with a sawdust collecting mechanism so as to eliminate the aforesaid disadvantage.
Accordingly, a work table of the present invention includes: a stand; a workpiece-supporting box including a bottom plate disposed on the stand and having a peripheral edge, and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from the peripheral edge of the bottom plate to define a receiving chamber, the peripheral wall including a front wall that confines a front side of the receiving chamber and that is formed with a plurality of outlet holes, and a rear wall that is opposite to the front wall and that confines a rear side of the receiving chamber; an auxiliary casing extending frontwardly from the front wall to confine a side chamber that is in fluid communication with the receiving chamber via the outlet holes in the front wall, the auxiliary casing having a bottom that confines a bottom side of the side chamber and that is formed with an outlet port; a plurality of chamber-forming partitions disposed uprightly on the bottom plate in the receiving chamber and connected to the front and rear walls so as to divide the receiving chamber into a plurality of distributor-receiving chambers, each of which is in fluid communication with the side chamber via a respective one of the outlet holes in the front wall; a sawdust collecting mechanism including a plurality of distributor members of inverted V-shaped cross section disposed in the distributor-receiving chambers, respectively, each of the distributor members having an apex vertically spaced apart from the bottom plate, and left and right guide plates extending downwardly and inclinedly from the apex to the bottom plate, each of the distributor members cooperating with the bottom plate to form a lower chamber which is in fluid communication with the side chamber via the respective one of the outlet holes, and cooperating with an adjacent pair of the chamber-forming partitions to form an upper chamber above the lower chamber, each of the left and right guide plates being formed with a plurality of spaced apart entrance holes in fluid communication with the upper and lower chambers, the sawdust collecting mechanism further including a working panel disposed on the peripheral wall, covering the upper chambers, and formed with a plurality of spaced apart apertures that are in fluid communication with the upper chambers; and a suctioning device including an air conduit connected to the outlet port in the side chamber, and a sawdust container connected to the air conduit so as to collect sawdust in the sawdust container via the apertures in the working panel, the upper and lower chambers, the outlet holes in the front wall, and the outlet port in the side chamber upon actuation of the suctioning device.